Official Pagan Thread!

[I have WHAT in my yard?]

Hey guys have any of you ever heard of the book The SIxteen Crucified Saviors?

There are no "pure" religions. They are all hodge-podge compilations of things people believed before melted and mixed and mangled up together to adapt to new ideas and new times......

 

[Chickerdoodle13]

I'm not a true pagan, but I believe in many of things things they practice. Just figured I'd share a cool story with you guys though!

I was at a zoo yesterday with some friends and there was this beautiful male lion in one of the exhibits. He was pacing all around by his shelter and we stood looking at him for quite some time. At first he paid no mind to any of us at all, but then he kept just stopping right in front of me and staring for the longest time. Every once in awhile he would make this awesome roar/bay sound, then pace a little and look at me again. I felt like he was trying to tell me something! it was really neat. (Either that or he thought I looked like dinner) The expression in his eyes was just amazing. When he could tell that I was not really paying attention to him anymore, he gave me one last look and walked into his shelter.

I'm definitely starting to think that big cats might be my totem animal. I've had dreams about black jaguars and they are always very distinct. I do think it is strange how animals always have interest in me though. Especially dogs. They always seem to like me, which is interesting because although I like dogs, they are not my favorite pet. I used to work at a vets office and there were several dogs nobody else could handle, but they allowed me just fine.

There isn't really any point to this story, but I was just thinking about that lion yesterday and wanted to see who else has a totem animal and how you found out about it.

 

[Organics North]

Quote:
Cool story! Sounds as if you have a special gift!
I wished I had a clear spirit animal.

For me I just have an affinity to birds in general. No magnificent Raptor that comes into my dreams or anything. Though I have had many flying dreams at different points in my life, and even did use flying to help find my lost children in one dream... SO, maybe I just do not see the spirit bird?

Thanks for sharing.
ON

 

[Reinbeau]

Quote:
I coined a phrase years ago called a Cathedral Moment when something happens in nature that is spellbinding. This sounds like one of them

 

[debilorrah]

Chickerdoodle, I had something like that happen to me too at the MGM Grand lion exhibit in Vegas. All the cats were sound asleep and the one lady woke up and pranced right over to where I was and started rubbing on the glass and making eyes at me. Now, I have always attracted house cats - no matter where I go they follow me. But this was the first time a BIG kitty said she loved me.

 

[Chickerdoodle13]

Quote:
How cool! I wish I could have known what this big guy was thinking. The zoo was very nice, but I can't imagine something so intelligent living in a cage it's entire life. Apparently this guy is quite old too. The one lady told me he is about 25+ years. You could tell he was stiff in his back legs and it looked like he may have had some problems with arthritis. Poor guy, he probably just wants some company!

I have noticed that cats will lay on me a lot or rub against my legs. I've also been successful at taming some pretty wild and nasty parrots at the sanctuary where I used to work. There were a few that would come only to me. I guess that's why I've always been such an animal lover! I have always just assumed animals liked me because I am an animal person, but who knows.

 

[Chickerdoodle13]

Quote:
That is very cool! Can you tell me more about spellbinding moments? What exactly does that mean? I find this all very interesting

 

[CoopCrazy]

That is soo cool.. I had a similar experience at this lil city zoo in Ohio years ago.. They had a Black Leopard that woudl pace and pace. Then I came to the glass and it walked straight over and looked me dead in the eyes.. I could feel the anxiety it had for being caged just flow into me.. Poor thing I stayed there at her cage the rest of the day, she was soo amazing...

 

[debilorrah]

I have been known to just grab and pick up and feral cat that I had no idea was feral and have everyone around me with their jaws wide open. Too funny.

 

[ebwy]

I was taken to the zoo when I was a child. this was late 1970's and the zoo didn't treat the animals as well as it could have - lots of distressing things like the polar bear banging it's head into the walls of it's enclosure because it had gone a bit mad with the boredom...

but I was a kid and didn't realise what was going on because I was just too young to realise.

Then they took me to the wolf enclosure. I went nuts, screaming and crying and saying "it's so unhappy. why won't they let it go? it wants to be let go!"
(the wolf in question was just lying down there... looking a bit bored)

the wolf just felt so very sad, and I could feel it.

contrast that to last summer's visit to a wolf sanctuary - the wolves there were too warm but were happy (though a bit fed up of being stared at - it was an open day so lots of people were going past them to gawp...)